Tie locating device



Sept. 13, 1966 E. K. DE JEAN 3,271,780

TIE LOCATING DEVICE Filed Oct. 22. 1964 /4 Fig. 3 Fig. 4 Fig.5

Edgar K. Den/eon INVENTOR.

United States Patent 3,271,780 TIE LOCATING DEVICE Edgar K. De Jean, 102 N. Harrison, Salem, Ind. Filed 0st. 22, 1964, Ser. No. 405,655 3 Claims. (Cl. 2146) The present invention is generally concerned with neckties, and is more particularly concerned with means for consistently achieving a proper relationship between the ends of the tie upon tying thereof.

It is a primary object of the instant invention to provide means for enabling the individual tie user to locate a specific point on the small or narrow end of a conventional tie which, when aligned with a predetermined point external of the tie, such as for example a button on the shirt front, the desired relationship between the ends of the tie, upon tying thereof, will be consistently obtained.

In conjunction with the above object, it is a significant object of the invention to provide means which enable the tie owner himself to determine and mark the specific point on his tie, providing in effect a custom fitting of the tie which eliminates any necessity for compensating for neck size, type of knot, type of material, length of tie, width of the tie, etc.

Likewise, it is an important object of the instant invention to provide a locating device which can be applied subsequent to the manufacture of the tie, and in fact by the tie purchaser himself.

Furthermore, it is a highly significant object of the instant invention to provide a method for tying a necktie which involves initially locating and marking a predetermined point on the small end of the tie which, when aligned with a predetermined point on the shirt front, will always insure a proper relationship between the ends of the tied tie.

Furthermore, it is an object of the invention to provide a reference point locator, mountable upon the reverse face of the small end of a necktie which can be utilized to provide the desired relative position between the ends of the knotted necktie for knots other than the knots conventionally used, even assuming the locating device has been previously utilized in determining a specific point on the tie.

Also, it is a significant object of the instant invention to provide a tie locating device which is extremely simple to use, requiring merely the proper locating of the small end of the tie, and not requiring any initial manipulation of the large or front end of the tie or arrangement of opposite ends of the tie relative to each other.

These together with other objects and advantages which will become subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

FIGURE 1 is a view illustrating a conventional tie having the tie locating device of the inst-ant invention mounted thereon and being utilized to properly orientate the tie;

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged perspective view of the tie locating device itself;

FIGURE 3 is an illustration of another means which may be used to initially mark a reference point on the small or narrow end of the tie;

FIGURE 4 illustrates yet another modification; and

FIGURE 5 illustrates the rear face of the narrow end of a tie having a reference point, of the type which would result from the use of the device of FIGURE 3 or 4, marked thereon.

Referring now more specifically to the drawings, reference numeral 10 is used to generally designate a conventional necktie having a larger exposed end 12 and a smaller normally concealed end 14. The reference point locator 16 of the instant invention is to be applied to the under or hidden surface 18 of the small end 14 of the tie 10 with this locator being utilized in arriving at a specific point which, when aligned with a predetermined portion on the shirt front 20, generally the third button 22 from the top of the shirt front, will assure, upon a tying of the necktie 10, the proper orientation of the extreme ends of the smaller and larger portions 14 and 12.

The reference point locator 16 itself consists of an elongated strip of material which is preferably both flexible and capable of withstanding repeated washing or dry cleaning processes to which the tie 10 might be subjected. The locator 16 is to be adhesively secured to the undersurface 18 of the small end 14 of the tie 10 at any time subsequent to the manufacture of the tie, and in most circumstances by the final purchaser or user of the tie. As such, the locator strip 16 includes a suitable heat or pressure sensitive adhesive 24 on the back face thereof which, for example through the use of a heated iron, will permanently bond the strip to the undersurface 118 of the small end 14. If so desired, a protective film 26 can be removably applied over the adhesive 24 until the strip is to be applied to the tie, at which time the film 2-6 will of course be stripped.

The front face of the strip is marked off into equal size sections 28, these sections being progressively numbered and each of a size corresponding to the diameter of an average shirt button, approximately A ths of an inch. As will be appreciated from the drawings, the locator strip 16 is to include approximately ten sections and be generally between five and six inches long.

In using the reference point locator 16, the strip is adhesively secured to the under surface 18 of the small end 14 of the tie 10, either prior or subsequent to the purchase of the tie, starting approximately two inches from the pointed end. Next, the small end 14 of the tie is located at a height, by the wearer of the tie, generally corresponding to the height which he believes will produce a proper-ly tied finished tie, that is, a tie wherein the smaller end 14 is of the same length as or slightly shorter than the larger end 12. Next, the numbered section which is now aligned with the third button of the shirt front 22 is noted, and the tie is tied. If the length of the tied tie ends are proper, the section which had previously been aligned with the third button 22 is permanently marked in any suitable manner, such as for example an indelible ink. On the other hand, if one or the other ends is too long, the tie is undone and the smaller end 14 of the tie is vertically adjusted up or down so as to align a different section 28 with the third button 22, with it being appreciated that approximately a one inch change will result for each section of vertical adjustment. Upon aligning a new section 28 with the button 22, the tie is again tied, with this process being repeated until the proper length of the ends is achieved, the particular section 28 aligned with the button 22 being noted at each stage with the section producing the proper length end being permanently marked. In this manner, it will be appreciated that a customized fitting of each tie to the owner thereof is achieved with this customized fitting automatically taking into consideration, without additional compensation, all factors including neck size, tie length, material of tie, etc. In the event an other than normal, to the user, knot is to be tied, it will be appreciated that one need merely compensate for this by adjusting the final point arrived at, this point incidentally being indicated, in FIGURE 1 by the X in the number 8 section, vertically relative to the external or extrinsic point which, as noted supra, is to preferably be the third shirt button 22. For example, where a bulkier than normal knot to be tied, the length of the smaller end 14 of the tie 10 would be automatically shortened, aligning, for example, section 10 with the button 22. Incidentally, while the exact location of the third button 22 might vary in different makes of shirts, it has been found that its location is, in almost all cases, the same regardless of the make of shirt.

As will be appreciated, by providing a reference point locator which can be applied by the tie owner himself, the locators can be sold separately, in for example a small kit containing a supply of locators, means for providing an indelible mark on the locator, and instructions. Further, this enables the wearer of the tie to provide for a customized fitting of the tie which will insure, upon merely aligning a point on the small end of the tie with a point on the shirt front, a proper tying of the tie each time. Incidentally, it should be noted that the locator 16, while preferably adhesively secured to the tie, can of course be attached in any other manner, such as for example by sewing. By the same token, the point on the shirt front, while preferably the third button, can of course be any other convenient point, although of course it should be recognized that this point must be substantially consistent from shirt to shirt.

With regard to the specific manner of finding the point which is to be provided with an indelible mark, the instant invention also contemplates utilizing a device which can be removably fixed along the length of a small end 14 of the tie 10 whereby various points along the small end 14 can be aligned with the button 22 until the specific point is found which provides the desired relationship between the ends of the tied tie. For example, a conventional releasable tie tack 30 can be used, or, a pair of opposed mutually attractible small magnets 32 mounted on opposite sides of the small end of the tie 14. In using the device 30 or 32, it is first mounted on the small end 14 of the tie at a point thought to, when aligned with the button 22, provide the proper tie length. Next, the tie is tied in the conventional manner, and if in fact the tie ends are the proper length, an indelible mark or spot, generally indicated by numeral 34 in FIGURE 5, is placed at the location of the device 30 or 32, which is of course removed. In the event that the ends of the tie are not properly located, the device 30 or 32 is vertically adjusted and the above process repeated, this continuing until the proper location, when corresponding to the button 22, is found, at which time the indelible mark 34 is made on the undersurface 18 of the small end 14 of the tie 10.

Incidentally, while the detailed description supra is directed specifically toward the locating of the indelible point or mark on the undersurface of the small end of the tie, it should be appreciated that, in some instances if so desired, this mark can alternatively be located on the underside of the large end of the tie. Further, while the point or marker on the tie would normally be aligned with an intrinsic point on the shirt itself, such as for example the third button, it is also possible that other extrinsic points might be used, for example the belt buckle, assuming the point is on the larger or longer end of the tie.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention as claimed.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. The method of providing for a customized fitting of a necktie comprising the steps of mounting an elongated strip on the under surface of the small end of the tie, aligning a predetermined point on the strip with a predetermined point on the shirt front, tying the tie in the conventional manner, comparing the length of the tie ends, untying the tie and repeating the above steps, utilizing a vertical-1y adjusted point on the strip, if necessary, until the larger end of the tie is of the same length as or slightly longer than the small end of the tie, and providing an indelible mark on the strip at the last used predetermined point thereon.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein, in each cycle, the predetermined point on the tie is aligned with the third button, from the top, on the shirt front.

3. The method of providing for a customized fitting of a necktie comprising the steps of mounting an elongated strip on the undersurface of one end of the tie, aligning a predetermined point on the strip with a predetermined extrinsic point, tying the tie in the conventional manner, comparing the length of the tie ends, untying the tie and repeating the above steps, utilizing a vertically adjusted point on the strip, if necessary, until the larger end of the tie is of the same length as or slightly longer than the small end of the tie, and providing an indelible mark on the strip at the last used predetermined point thereon.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,113,113 4/1938 Kleinmann 2146 2,148,154 2/1939 Garfinkle 2146 2,254,993 9/ 1941 Brown 2-146 2,343,979 3/ 1944 Kaplan 2146 2,499,260 2/1950 Rhein 2-146 2,504,843 4/1950 Kaplan 2146 2,994,886 8/1951 Sharp 2146 3,025,528 3/1962 Minter 2-144 FOREIGN PATENTS 967,537 11/1950 France.

JORDAN FRANKLIN, Primary Examiner.

FRANK I. COHEN, PATRICK D. LAWSON,

Assistant Examiners. 

3. THE METHOD OF PROVIDING FOR A CUSTOMIZED FITTING OF A NECKTIE COMPRISING THE STEPS OF MOUNTING AN ELONGATED STRIP ON THE UNDERSURFACE OF ONE END OF THE TIE, ALIGNING A PREDETERMINED POINT ON THE STRIP WITH A PREDETERMINED EXTRINSIC POINT, TYING THE TIE IN THE CONVENTIONAL MANNER, COMPARING THE LENGTH OF THE TIE ENDS, UNTYING THE TIE AND REPEATING THE ABOVE STRIP, UTILIZING A VERTICALLY ADJUSTED POINT ON THE STRIP, IF NECESSARY, UNTIL THE LARGER END OF THE TIE IS OF THE SAME LENGTH AS OR SLIGHTLY LONGER THAN THE SMALLER END OF THE TIE, AND PROVIDING AN INDELIBLE MARK ON THE STRIP AT THE LAST USED PREDETERMINED POINT THEREON. 